Circuit for measuring voltage by oscilloscope



Oct. 30, 1951 CHANDLER 2,573,541

CIRCUIT FOR MEASURING VOLTAGE BY OSCILLOSCOPE Filed July 23, 1946 REGU- LATED /3 DC. REGILCATED 57 SUPPLY CLIPPING CIRCUIT INTERNAL 60m sweep FIG. 1

OF 66/ OSCILLOSCOPE POWER OUTPU T I REPELL ER VOLTAGE POTENTIAL g Awe wa MZ pm a ABSLQIEPTION D o F' I .3 a 74 G IN VENTOR GORDONECHANDLEI? a V Q l L RE'PELLER VOLTAGE Patented Oct. 30, 1951 CIRCUIT FOR IVIEASURING VOLTAGE BY OSCILLOSCOPE Gordon E. Chandler, WinchesteniVlass, assignor to Raytheon Manufacturing Company, Newton, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Application July 23, 1946, Serial N0. 685,587

Claims.

This invention relates to electrical circuits for the measurement of instantaneous values of varying voltages, and more particularly a varying voltage at a specified frequency.

' The use of an oscilloscope to graphically indicate theoccurrence of an instantaneous or recurring state under certain operating conditions in connection with electron-discharge devices and electrical circuits is well known. It is also well known to calibrate such graphic indicating devices to obtain a direct reading of the value of such recurring or instantaneous conditions. However, the necessity of altering the oscilloscope to accommodate the particular requirements of calibrating and the instability of the amplifiers used in such apparatus present disadvantages which frequently outweigh the usefulness of graphic indicators in connection with this type of electrical measurement.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide circuit'means to be used in conjunction with any standard oscilloscope for the measurementof instantaneous values of varying voltages.

'Another object is to provide a device of the type described to be used in conjunction with graphic indicating means for the analysis of waveforms.

:aYet another-object is to provide a device for the. analysis. of electron-discharge device characteristics.

The above and other objects will appear as the.

Fig. 2 represents a power output trace of the power output ,of the electron-discharge tube as it would appear on the screen of an oscilloscope and indicates the absorption of some of the output power by a break or pip on said trace;

Fig. 3 is the same power output trace as shown in Fig. 2, but having superimposed thereon a second pip or peaked pulse to indicate the desired instantaneous varying voltage;

4 is a schematic circuit showing the use of the device in connection with a test for a. gas discharge device; and

Fig. 5 illustrates the output trace present on an. oscilloscope screen in connection with the circuit illustrated in Fig. 4.

Refer now more particularly to Fig. '1 which is 'a' circuit diagram of apparatus embodying the T present invention when used inconnection with apparatus for investigating various parameters of velocity modulated vacuum tubes of the klystron type.

The apparatus of the present invention includes ;a high gain peaked pulse amplifier comprising an input vacuum tube III and an output vacuum tube II.

The aforementioned tubes l0 and II have, respectively, as their principal parts cathodes IOA, and IIA, suppressor grids IOB and I I3 (said grids beingconnected'to said cathodes), screen gridsand screen grid I! are in series with potential dropping resistor l9 and said regulated supply- I 2.- Betweenscreen grid. I1 and cathode IRA is capacitor 24, said capacitor bypassing any alternating. current in the screen grid circuit to ground.

The direct-current circuit of anode I6 includes: anode I6, load resistor I4, regulated supplyl2,'=

cathode biasing resistor 28 and cathode IIA. The direct-current circuit for screen grid I8 includes said screen grid, resistor 20, regulated power supply I2, cathode biasing resistor 28 and cathode l IA. Capacitor 26 connected from screen grid v@I8 to ground serves to by-pass any alternating current components in this circuit.

Resistor 63 connected between potentiometer- 6| and control grid 23 is used to limit the current in said control grid circuit to a safe value should an excessive positive potential be applied thereto.

Control grid 23 of tube III is normally biased to or beyond cutofl and the source of-said biasing potential is derived from the algebraic difference between two sources of potential, namely 51 and 33.. Input potential source 33 is partially shunted The potential between point A and point B, or contact 36, is applied"- by potentiometer 35.

across the input terminals 53 and 53A. Source 51 is shunted by a pair of series connected poten tiometers and BI and the potential drop between X. and -Z is in series with the potential applied across terminals 53-and 53A.

The polar relation of-said sources of potential is such that saidsources oppose or buck *each other. Accordingly, the source 51 will-be termed thebucking potential hereinafter.

The tjof bucking potential between points X and Z-i's' adjusted -by-manip'ulating p tentiometer fil 'u'ritil the"potential between 'thes e Both of the last-mentioned electrondischarge devices are known in the art as sharpcutofifltype tubes such as, for example, a 6SJ7.-

last-named points plus the potential between points A and B present an algebraic sum, in terms of potential, sufficient to bias tube l to cutofi or zero current as indicated on meter 2|. For example, if the input potential between points A and B is 100 volts, the potential drop between points X and Zwould; have to be" '103'volts, assuming that the 3 volts difierence is the amount required to bias tube In to cutoff or zero plate current.

Now potentiometer 60 is manipulated until the as'iasi potential drop between points X andY equals the:

drop between the points A and B as indicated by voltmeters 62 and 4| potentiometers 6B and GI, as-just ou'tlined;= calibrating procedure, and once the properp'oihv on potentiometer 60 is found, it w-ill not be neces- The manipulation of:

"the: potential drop" across cathode resistor 28,

so that it functions as a class A amplifier in a V manner knownsto' those skilled in the art.

Since tube: I'l functions as a class A amplifier,"

it wi ll'falithfully amplify the output'of tube Ill,

7 in particular the rapid rate of change of voltage;

sary to adjust it again, unless the characteristics" of tubes I0 and H change or regulated'- supply [2 is altered. In effect, this last-named setting of Y potentiometer 60' providesthepotential drop between points; Y; and- Z for biasingr tube" Ill-to cutoff, provided the potential drop between points Xand-Y for the setting of potentiometer 60 is equal'to the potential between points A- and B.-

,Once the abovecalibratio'n is made, any'valueofinput potential between terminals-53 and 53A canbecaused to be read onvoltmeter 62 by prop-' erly manipulating potentiometer 6i, until voltmeter'62 reads the same'as voltmeter 4|;

Thus far there-has been described the means for deriving the proper bias potential to make tube l0 non-conducting. 'Referring now to the lower "portion of the circuit ,thereis shown a: velocity-modulated. tube'32 of the reflex klystron type; Said klystron tube 32- will be the device under observation in this particular embodiment. Inthis particular tube,. repeller '34 is operated witha negative potential thereon, that is to say, therepeller is-negative with respect to the cathode 4,4 of said tube; The amount of potential; that is applied to the repeller electrode is determined by the manipulation of contact arm; 36" of potentiometer Thislast-named: potential is supplied byv battery 33 or some: other source of direct current.

Interposed between repeller 34 and cathode 44;of-tube-32 is thesecondary 38sof= transformer 55-. Transformer 55 is. energized from. a: 60- cycle source 40 whenswitch' 64' isclos'ed;- The alternating, current from saidv transformer is superimposed on the direct current-in thesrepeller-cathode circuit of tube-32.. For example, ifthe direct current potential between said. repeller and cathode islOO volts and the-alternat ing-r; current in the secondary 38 iszof the order of twenty, volts, the combined potential across the input 53 and 53A will:sweepthroughayalue between 80 and, 120 volts.

As; this combined direct and alternatingpotential, which is the repeller 34 or input potential, swings through this cycle of varying voltage,- at some instant, during said swing, the. potential; across input 53 and 53A will rise above'thelbucks ing potential between points X and 32. and the bias potential on grid 23 of tube .l0 will rise above cutoff and current-wi11 now in tube: l0:

Due to the characteristics of1-tube"|0', a 6SJ 7 type in this particular embodiment, said.- tube saturates; rapidlyat, a very low inputvoltage.

sine waveform C to the ,control grid 23 the -out-;

Inasmuch asthe inputpotentialaappears as: a. V

putpotential at plate I5 zwill hay e a substantially V square inverted waveform-D. This; form of out-+ putwave due l30 1jl;;he-21:apid saturation.-iof.- tube 7 1, 3; desiredithe" alternating ,componentaofrthezr the: power outputi rectified by-crystal 46 is":

untiltube' fl itself'cuts off or saturates, and will produce the amplified output of tube In in an inverted position as shown by reference latter E. l The output or alternating; current path of plate I53 is fromjsaid: plate through capacitor 3033!?11- able resistor 3 I, through the A primary. of direct current isolating transformer 4'3; thence" through:

a cathode bias-resistor 28 to cathode HA, The' time constant of capacitor 30 and resistor- 3i;

should besmall enough to provide, a shar p-pea-ked waveform F across the resistor 3h Actually the;

circuit; comprising-.- capaciton 30 and resistor; 3I/- i a differentiating circuit and: the parameters; which produce the particular outputwaveform Fare well known to those;ski1led in the-art.-

Since; in this particular embodiment, de sirable to-havethe positive peak applied to the; 7 vertical plates of: oscilloscope 69; aclipping cir--- cuitl'l, the; parametersof which-- are well known .to those skilled in the .-art,,is inserted between:

the output acrossresistor 3| and the-primary'of transformer 43 to eliminatethe-loweror negative- 1 peak of waveform F.

Transformer 43; serves to= isolate the direct: current in the amplifier circuits from a crystal- 46 circuit; to be described-below, asboth-the'oute put from saidlcrystal circuit and-outputetube;v via: the transformer 43,- are connected in parallel to the verticaldeflection plates 4'! and- 48 of oscilloscope: V

Referring now toithat portion Of?-the"Ci1Ofiif J involving'theinvestigation of tubei 32; with par-i ticular emphasis on the relation of repeller volts. age at: specified 08(11113131101'1.flqlleIlCieSiflfler is illustrated a reflexklystr'on havingi'a; cathode resonant: cavity. 42 and: as repeller;- electrode' 3'4i In the operation: of such a deviceitherrepeller electrode has: -a'-.ipotential-thereon-' whichis mega-- tive with -respect tocathode 44% while cavity 42: at a positive :tpot'ential' with respect tofsaidv ca-th ode' l l. i

One :of the characteristic's e of a; reflex klystron-e is the; factathat: the frequency on such-la device is a' functi'on'ofs therepellerpotential-g Therefore, if the repeller potential is swept cyclically;

through. a sufilcient range-'anduthe output from cavity 42" is fed'via" loop 1a tol a: wave guide 45 pressed by means oileadi 50? through r'esistbri on2thef vertical deflecting plates: 41 and ;4$ f

p'llcjrpotential derived from transformer 55 thus picked up through coaxial cable fi'ltoabsorption-type wavemeter II, said Wavemeter being set to the desired resonant frequency. If

the pip I5, caused by the absorption of a portionof the outputpower, coincides with peak-or maximum power output, the desired relation will be indicated as shown in Fig. 2, the pip occurring at maximum power output. I

If the maximum power output does not coincide with the power absorption pip 15, it is only reoutput of a particular device under observation. I

In view of the fact that oscilloscope 69 is uncalibrated, the actual value of repeller potential is not indicated. Therefore, one of the features of the present device is to provide means for indicating said value of repeller potential without the necessity of calibrating oscilloscope 69.

Such means are provided when the cyclically varying repeller potential is applied to the input terminals 53 and 53A.

As said cyclically varyin potential sweeps through the selected range and the difference between this last-mentioned potential and the bucking potential reaches a value above cutofi for tube I0, tube I conducts in the manner hereinbefore described and a sharply-peaked pulse or pip is generated. This pulse or pip is applied to the verticaldei'lecting plates 41 and 48 and is superimposed on the power output trace I l-and appears as a rising mark or pip I6 as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Let it be assumed, for example, that the amplifier has been calibrated as described hereinbefore. Itis desired to run a test on a number of klystrons of the type above described and a specification recites, as a requirement, that each tube shall be operable with an applied repeller potential of, for example, 150 volts at a predetermined resonant frequency. At this time there has also been set up the proper relationship of klystron parameters to graphically indicate, on oscilloscope 69, trace 14 with its power absorption pip I superimposed thereon.

Since the repeller potential desired is 150 volts,

the range of repeller test voltage should have a tential, for example, 150 volts. Now, with the input potential applied across the terminals 53 and 53A, as said input or repeller test voltage reaches a certain value.

swings through the range hereinbefore described,

and at the instant its algebraic sum with potential XZ rises through cutoif of tube I0, a pip I6 will be generated that will appear superim- 17 posed upon trace 14, Fig. 3. If pip I6 coincides with pip I5, tube 32 will be considered as having met the requirements of the specifications, as set forth by way of example hereinbefore. If the pip I6 should appear displaced from pip 15, it is an indication that tube 32 is oscillating at an undesired repeller voltage, and the tube 32 would be rejected.

While this particular embodiment indicated the use of voltmeter 4| in connection with the calibration of the device, said device can be calibrated without voltmeter 41, by applying across terminals 53 and 53A any known input potential provided the value of said input potential did not exceed the maximum potential of source 51 less the biasing potential.

Once the device is calibrated it can be made to develop a signal voltage at the instant the cyclically varying input potential under observation As described hereinbefore in connection with the calibration of the device, the potential drop between points Y and Z is the bias potential necessary to maintain tube I0 non-conducting until the input potential H reaches a value which exceeds the potential drop between X and Y. Manipulation of potentiomepotential in relation to the occurrence of a particular graphic indication on an oscilloscope, it is only required to manipulate potentiometer 6| and pip I6 will be seen to move along trace I4, for example, until it coincides with pip I5. At coincidence of both pips, the reading on voltmeter 62 will be a true representation of said value of potential.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the device of the present invention in connection with a test circuit used to determine the firing potential of a gas-filled tube.

The 60-cycle alternating current line potential source I00 is applied across the gas tube I0-I in series with an external current-limiting resistor I02. The voltage across tube IOI is applied across the vertical deflecting plates 47 and 48 of oscilloscope 69. Since the line potential I00 represents a low impedance without resistor I02 in the circuit, When tube IOI fires, no indication of the firing point would appear on the trace of oscilloscope 69. However, placing a resistor in series with tube IOI provides a voltage drop across said resistor I02 sufiicient to cause an indication I04 of the firing potential to appear on the oscilloscope as shown in Fig. 5. Without resistor I02, the trace would appear as a sine wave I05.

As the input potential from source I00 across terminals 53 and 53A rises from minimum to maximum said potential will cause device I03 to generate a mark or pip at the output between terminals 29 and 29A, as described hereinbefore. Said output is impressed across the vertical deflecting plates 41 and 48 of oscilloscope 69 and will appear superimposed on trace I0'I in Fig. 5 as a pip I06. Although this pip I06 is shown coincident with the firing point I04, it could have occurred any place on trace I0'I. However, manipulation of control 6| will bring it into coincidence with point I04 and the reading on voltmeter 02 would be a true representation of the instantaneous value of the firing potential. The nearly horizontal portion m8 of trace 1.01 is caused-byt e volta e regulatin effectof tube Jill and the trace falls off at'a point 0.9 when thedecr as ns input potential falls below the extinction pgtentialand tube till ceases to conduct.

heref re, the use of. th d vi eo th present invention obviatesthe necessity ofcallbratirig oscilloscope in terms of potentialin .ordento dee termine at What value of potential a cyclically re;- urrin ph nom n, a hic l y nflected t s r n f an o ci lo cope, cu s- Furthe regardless of changes in size, position, or phase of the trace, the reading on the voltmeterjg will notice affected. i a

From h o eeo ne e ample an loereadll observed that thedevice ofthe present invention lends itself to a great variety oftests iorideterminingthe occurrence of electrical phengrn enon at any instantaneous value of avarying voltage or current.

Therefore, many modifications .vvill oceur to those skilled in the art andit shoul d be ridert o that c modi cati n dono r pr een a departure from th true spiri ant leeone 9i. present invention.

What is claimed is: A

In c b n t oltaeeaeepon ire ranitic indicating means, means for generfating a cyoauy varying o ential connector t .eaisl ap an for p od in a redet mined rap t r neans ed by nd sp ns ve to said varying potential for generatin a? .irittrirer pot at a p d termin d o n in t e c cle of sa d in p ten a nsa marker eneratin means b in c n cte to said indie t ne means to up r p s ai m rke pot ntialio .ea d graph, means for adjusting ,said marker potentia n r tin ans to vary ther latire p it on of .said po t, and measurin means conoc e o said m r e ener tin means :f r l-. dicating the value of said varying pptential at the adjusted position of saidpoint.

2. In combinati means. o raph al yins ltin the cyclically recurrin eleetrical output-of a device under test, means for genenating a sh p peaked p sen .ifespons t ,:a; rede.termined li lly v r n in olta e, saideencrating means havinginputand output connections, the output of said device and the ,output of said generating means being connected to said indicating means, an adjustable circuit intheiillp nect n o sa n ra in m ans tonedjusting said generating means to vary-thepredetermined input olt eea wh ch said .pealr d pulse is generated, whereby said peakedpulse causes a a graphical. indication ,which may; hemade to coincide with a selected portion ofn thelindication on said indicating :meansandmeanseonnected to said generating meansgandgrespi lisive h r f ea uri theinstan an ous valu of said input voltage at the adjusted .position of said adjusting means.

3. In combination, an SCi 1lQsQQpe,,-;mg@ns 91 generating a p io ally ar n fpotentia said p tent a being ppl e to said oecil o c petip.

orm .a raphic representation onrthe creen h reghf, .a peaked pu se amplifier connected to. said eneratin means havin input and output connecting means and being responsive 9a are:

dete ned volta elrnag itude o said potential f when im ressed on. s id input for produ ing a. ea seel volta e se at the outp h reo t n pntlo .saisl amplifi r .b i co nected to said so s o ehsaid ou put b in sup im o ednnon.

aid r phic rep ese tat on .to graphically indiat he relat on be ween said pr determined ma nitude and the whole of said r i pot nal. and ied b sai po i l or meat: ri e t e v alue o sa pr de e mi ed ma n ude- In combination an mplifie having input;

and output connecting jneans, said amplifier bene res o s ve to. a r odica l var te t 99' nt a pl ed t t e put her o hm ane varyin the e of e pu tp en i l.

ut ut-o sai ampli e bein n ed to .Inea for graphically indicating the adjusted valueoi said test potentiaLand a measuring device conof varying unidirectional voltage connected :to

said repeller to frequencymodulatesaid klystron above and ,below .a ;predetermined desired resoe nant frequency, rectifying means connected to the output of said ,klystron, an indicator con: nected to said rectifying .means for graphically indicating said last namedoutput, means connected to said klystron for altering said lastnarnedoutputto obtain a graphic indication -ef the goccurrence of-said predetermined resonant frequency in the modulated klystron output, and

means connectedlto and controlled by said volte age forrgenerating a peaked pulse on said graphic indication when the instantaneous value of alteranatingiv'olta ge plus direct voltage impressed on said ,repellertequalsthe voltage desired :on said repeller for said predetermined resonant ne quency. A

GORDON E. CHANDLER.

REFERENCES (CITED The-following references are of record in the file of this patent;

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Number =N ame Date 2,318,857 --.;Ma 1e r Jun i 'llees 2,412,231 lsna u- ;Dec. 10,1946 2,434,2 4 Edson Jan; '13, 1 9,48 zseopi W rt Fe "I, 1e59,

. o'r rna REFERENCES Theory and Applications of Electron Tubes, by

H. J. Reich, 2nd.';ed., 1944, lvicGravv- Hill Book 

